Garbanzo and Tuna Salad with Parsley and Red Pepper

Ingredients

• 1 can tuna packed in olive oil
• 1 can garbanzo beans, also called chickpeas
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 3 T extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Tip the garbanzo beans into a colander and rinse them under cold water until the foamy liquid is gone. Set them aside to drain, then blot them with paper towels if they still seem wet; you want them fairly dry before dressing.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until the dressing comes together.
3. Transfer the drained beans to a bowl and toss them with half the dressing. Leave them to soak up the flavor while you get everything else ready.
4. Chop the red pepper and red onion, or green onion if using that instead. Rinse the parsley, dry it in a salad spinner, and chop it finely. Flat parsley will work, though curly parsley gives this salad especially nice texture.
5. Pour off and discard the oil from the tuna, then add the tuna to a mixing bowl. Use a fork to loosen it into pieces, but don’t mash it smooth; a little chunkiness is good here.
6. Add the dressed beans, chopped red pepper, chopped red onion, and chopped parsley to the bowl with the tuna, then fold everything together gently. Try not to stir so much that the salad gets broken up.
7. Add more dressing and mix it in lightly. If you like a less-dressed salad, you may not need to use every bit of it.
8. Taste and add more freshly ground black pepper and sea salt as needed, then serve. The salad will hold well in the refrigerator for at least a day or two.